Ever since Al Gore sold Current TV to Al Jazeera, the network founded and funded by the oil-rich emirate of Qatar, the former vice president has drawn continuous fire in conservative media. Fox News, the New York Post and the Wall Street Journal, for example, have all castigated Gore, a man of the left and leading avatar of “global warming,” for such hypocrisies as timing the deal to avoid lefty tax hikes and bagging $100 million in greenhouse-gas money.

These same news outlets share something else in common: They all belong to Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. That means they also belong to Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal.

Alwaleed owns the largest chunk of News Corp. stock outside the Murdoch family. Shortly after his purchase of 5.5 percent of News Corp. voting shares in 2005, Alwaleed gave a speech that made it clear just what he had bought. As noted in The (U.K.) Guardian, Alwaleed told an audience in Dubai that it took just one phone call to Rupert Murdoch – “speaking not as a shareholder but as a viewer,” Alwaleed said – to get the Fox News crawl reporting “Muslim riots” in France changed to “civil riots.”

This didn’t make the “Muslim” riots go away, but Alwaleed managed to fog our perception of them. With a phone call, the Saudi prince eliminated the peculiarly Islamic character of the unprecedented French street violence for both the viewers at home and, more significantly, for the journalists behind the scenes. When little owner doesn’t want “Muslim” rioting identified and big owner agrees, it sets a marker for employees. Alwaleed’s stake, by the way, is now 7 percent.

We can only speculate on what other acts of influence this nephew of the Saudi dictator might have since imposed on Fox News and other News Corp. properties. (I have long argued that News Corp. should register as a foreign agent, due to the stock owned by a senior member of the Saudi ruling dynasty.) Alwaleed hasn’t shared any other editorial exploits with the public. But that opening act of eliminating key information from News Corp.’s coverage of Islamic news might well have set a pattern of omission.

Recently, such a pattern of omission in News Corp.’s coverage of the Gore-Al Jazeera deal seems evident. I say “seems,” because I can’t be entirely certain that I haven’t missed something in my research. But judging from online searches of news stories and audio transcripts, two salient points are missing from at least the main body of News Corp.’s coverage.

One is reference to the noticeable alignment of Al Jazeera with the Muslim Brotherhood, the global Islamic movement whose motto is, “The Quran is our law; jihad is our way; dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope.” The second (with an exception noted below) is reference to Al Jazeera’s superstar host and ideological lodestar, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a leading Muslim Brotherhood figure. The influence of al-Qaradawi at the network and in Qatar – where, according to Freedom House’s 2012 press report, it is against the law for journalists to criticize the Qatari government, the ruling family or Islam – can hardly be overestimated.

Strange omission? This relationship between the Qatari-controlled network and the Muslim Brotherhood organization has been observed for years. Back in 2007, for example, Steven Stalinsky reported in the New York Sun that various Arab commentators referred to Al Jazeera as “the Muslim Brotherhood channel” and the like. What’s more, reference to the relationship appears at least in passing in coverage of the Gore deal at mainstream media sites such as USA Today and the Seattle Times. More discussion is available at some conservative outlets, including Rush Limbaugh and The Blaze. (Searches at Breitbart and the Washington Examiner, like News Corp. sites, yielded nothing on these same points. Call it, perhaps, “the Fox effect.”)

25 Responses

Your article provides a very interesting perspective on the Middle Eastern influences on media organisations. In the Middle East censorship falls within mostly three categories; that written as law (individual nation state media law), self censorship (a journalist is aware that he/she must not write in a way that could create civil disobedience/unrest or insult/offend the leaders/government) and finally unwritten censorship – meaning that the oil rich Gulf States have a stake in most media outlets within the MENA region and as a result they generate mass advertising revenue to broadcasters – that does not cause offence or insults but reinforces an ideology that serves the GCC States. Now, I have a question, are any media outlets free of State censorship law written or self imposed? Are any media outlets free of providing an objective and informative position on media events whether local or international?

This is very disappointing to read, so now all network news is no longer reliable in their reports…one group gives me the Obama Administration’s emasculinted view and the other a Muslim-washed view…R.I.P. America…off to the Weather channel :(

As far as I am concerned Fox News is the closest we will get to truth now. All the other networks are in the tank for The Anointed One,Barrack Insane Obama. If Fox falls by the wayside. I will stop watching news altogether.

In four more years there will be an election. Be thinking now of a candidate who is willing to bring us into the reality that has been missing for many years. That looking through the world with rose colored glasses kept Americans hostage in Iran and led to the fall of the Twin Towers. What is fueling our economy is also bringing us closer to Sharia. We need the next President to make drastic changes in immigration policy towards the Middle East. Now, one must remember that Saudi Arabia’s oil that we seem to not be able to live without: How well could they live without western dollars? We had something called trains that served us well. They still could. Why are simple things made hard in America? I want to take a bus out across the country and now I am down to one company to chose from and it takes longer and longer to get there. The bus stations are in the worst part of any city. There is something wrong with that. Why can’t we have cell phones and still be able to pick up a public phone? We quit manufacturing because companies found cheap labor overseas: So why don’t we call them traitors? Don’t blame it on unions because I never worked a union job in the South. We virtually had none and my job is in China anyway. All this progress of getting robots to do the work that was done by human beings is called progress. That isn’t what I call it. I call it the downfall of this country. And the next time you are in a store and you see a bunch of registers that aren’t open know that someone is on a yacht and someone else is trying to feed their baby. Redistribution of wealth: the right wants you to think it is being sent down to the poor when really it has been a steady stream for decades up to the wealthy. None of those news networks have it right. The Saudis and Chinese are taking over because the very rich are only doing what makes them richer. The hell with everybody else. And they keep serving our young people up with negative, immoral images in entertainment and nobody can pray at school until someone gets shot.
The left are sticking us one way and the right the other. It is time that we got behind a candidate for some real change. But big money will try to keep us right where we are: on a downward spiral. The ladder is in the middle! When the big companies took American jobs overseas those CEO’s knew that if America falls, they have somewhere nice to go.You and I are the real patriotic ones. We are and always have been right here in thick and thin where we are. I think a terrible thing happened when Hurricane Sandy ripped away New Jersey. But good things come out of bad things. I think it was a real learning experience for the Governor of New Jersey. He stood up like a real man does and told it like it is!

isahiah62, I agree that gasoline and oil are not imaginary and that was not my point. But I think the idea that Shariah will take over the USA is imaginary and is a fear that is being reinforced by media organisations. In fact, I think that the way in which Islam is being discussed and presented in many media outlets is often racist, polarised and very close to fascism. Why doesn’t the USA go to Venezuela for oil for example they have larger oil reserves than Saudi Arabia. Why doesn’t USA try to monopolize on South American Oil reserves rather than go so far to Iraq for example or Afghanistan for natural resources. But this idea of Sharia taking over the USA – oh please spare me!

we do or did get oil from Venezuela- perhaps you haven’t heard than Chavez is buddies now with Iran’s Ahmadinejad and is harboring Hezbollah- GWB was correct when he spoke of an Axis of Evil forming to oppose and destroy USA- We have our own reserves here and in Canada we could be using if our prez really was pro USA. Instead he has blocked all new drilling leases and fights fracking and gas and coal-
Sharia coming to USA is not imaginary or a media bias- in fact if you have been to USA you would know its the exact opposite- a proMuslim media- any speech against ISLAM is considered racist- and people have been targeted by the PC media brigades- any who dare saythe truth- – tons of money and propaganda to convince the people that Islam is benign or good or peaceful- and lots of info hidden from them about the true nature of creeping sharia- in the military, in the courts,Jihad lawsuits, in the education of the kids, and the cops. Muslims in NASA and the WH.
The real fascists are in Obama’s administration.

Just and FYI- they will not spare you for being a liberal dupe- ask the commies who helped the Shah into power in Iran 1979- they HUNG by their necks when he was finished using them-

Isaiah, I often get accused of being a Liberal by friends and family that I have in the USA, in the UK however, I do not define myself as being conservative nor liberal – after all we have a conservative/liberal coallition government in place. I believe at any given time a person’s views can be both liberal or conservative depending on the issue at stake.
Anyway, that is not my point and I do know my history thank you very much, I also know the capabilities of US to get access to natural reserves from within US and Canadian Territory. What I have realised from this discussion with you is that we both have our own views and as I respect yours and hear what you are saying I shall choose to still stick to mine – that media organisations are creating and reinforcing an imagined fear. And yes, FYI I do follow US news and debates. Which is why I have raised this issue amognst a few points. Is there not a constant fear of Islamists taking over USA or terrorizing America? What about American’s who are doing a good job of terrorizing each other? It is simple why spend the time looking at internal problems when you can create fear of the “other” rather than than dealing with the real issues that are much closer to home?!

Hmmmm… so “media organizations are creating and reinforcing an imagined fear”, I’d be interested to know which media organizations, as in the USA virtually all except FOX are decidedly ‘left’, and are going to great lengths to smother the fact that islam has well and truly infiltrated America–schools, universities, government, police–and the White House.

That many Americans are only just starting to realize this, doesn’t seem to bode well for the States, but at least they are starting to wake up; when I look at ‘merry England’, however, and for that matter Scandinavia, Germany, France, Belgium etc., I could weep. Europe is committing cultural suicide, and it seems they’re determined to continue in that direction. So sad………………

Please explain cultural suicide to me? I believe we embrace cultural diversity, visit london perhaps the most culturally diverse and culturally rich city on the planet which makes me and many more proud of our country.

It explains itself. Seriously, uk, do you like what’s happening in Leicester, Luton, Oldham, London? You’ve just said you do, so it seems we ‘agree to disagree’, Screaming muslims with placards reading: “to hell with British police”, “Behead anyone who slanders islam”–backed up by the tube bombings; yes, this cultural diversity is wonderful!

If it sounds as though I ‘have it in’ for muslims, I have indeed, and so should you, if you love your country; (unless you are one) wherever muslims go, trouble follows–or have you not noticed? Multiculturalism does not work, although of European leaders, only Angela Merkel and the Danes have admitted so. Think about it.

Well good for you for having it in for Muslims. I think the only part of your reply that I agreed on is that we agree to disagree. I still stick to my point that there is am imagined fear being focused on and reinforced by media organisations. These examples of Islam you present me with are minority examples and do not hold true for Muslims on the whole. Anyway, I am not here to defend Islam and I am not here to engage in discussions which quite frankly are derogatory. Your messages remind me of the sort of talk that was going on in Europe during WWII. I love my country and I am not a Muslim so do not make this personal. And, do not tell me how I should or should not feel!

yup 7/7 bombs were just “imagined fear” and then making sure the 2nd bomb went off on the rescuers- Have fun in Londonistan- obviously you agree to Muslims ruling the dhimmis- what advantage is “diversity” to the natives who cannot get jobs given to the newbies, whose daughters are being kidnapped drugged and raped, to the police who cannot go into those neighborhoods to enforce the law, tothe taxpayers supporting multiple wives with welfare checks??

I expect you don’t need them you have enough to worry about with those who go into schools and kill families. In fact Americans and Europeans do a good job of killing each other (just look at crime stats) and you worry about Muslims?! Oh please!!!

would that be the same ww2 where MUSLIMS joined the Nazis in planning destruction of the JEWS (grand Musfti of Jerusalem) and those Bosnians who volunteered for the SS? The same WW2 Egypt sided with AXIS hid fleeing nazi officers who later helped form the Muslim Brotherhood, gave birth to Nasser also a fascist jewhater? Muslims aer such damn copycats always trying to make pretend they are JEws- not a damn Muz died in an oven in WW2 your people supported them and still do- read any newspaper or watch any TV in Middle East- where Hitler is still a hero and they admire his work

Isaiah I am sorry I no longer want to have any discussions with you, you are making this quite personal and simply racist. I won’t be dragged into further discussions with you. I want to let you know and make this very clear HITLER is not a hero in the Middle East. If anything the general view of Hitler is that he is very much disliked by the Arabs. America has been totally free of supporting Muslims according to you. With all due respect your views are quite eurocentric, extremely racist and highly offensive. I am glad you live feeling so insecure and so bitter. Life must be so much fun being you, NOT!

wanna know why you are insane UKmar?? calling people who defend from RACISM of ISLAM racists- what a joke- you think the opinion of a crazy person makes a whit of difference to me?? Please check the best seller lists and favorite TV shows in Egypt, Yemen, Lebanon, Gaza- they do indeed praise Hitler, Mein Kampf is a bestseller- I know and I have proof- but look it up yourself liar for ISLAM- at least know the facts for yourself before trying to tell me what’s what. I have a photo of a Muslim woman right her in S Florida where I live- asking for bigger ovens

For the record I am a published writer and have done lots of research, my focus is on Arab Entertainment and Cinema. You have no idea, I do not know who or what you are watching but what I do know is that you are an extremely rude, highly offensive and extremely racist individual with very serious insecurity issues. That’s really all I have to say and be sure I won;t be responding to your extremely pathetic and rude yes very rude messages! I am sure you also speak Arabic fluently and are very familiar with Arab culture! You are the one who comes across not just as INSANE but extremely deluded!

He/she/it will not wake up–willful naiivete, and not worth worrying about. However, it really bothers me that so many otherwise reasonable people cannot/will not see the bigger picture here; the Spaniard Sebastian Vilar Rodriguez was so right–that Europe killed six million Jews, and opened the gates to 20 million muslims. (More like 30 million now)

Replacing six million of the smartest people with 30 million inbred, murderous thugs; wonderfully smart move! I see just how smart every time I go back to Oslo.